April 27, 2003

Box Score

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Sophomore first baseman Jim Fasano (Horsham, Pa.) lifted the Spiders to a 7-6 11-inning win over the visiting Xavier Musketeers with a one-out solo shot over the right field fence. Richmond took the series 2-1 after splitting Saturday's doubleheader. The Spiders improved to 33-8, 14-3 Atlantic 10, while Xavier falls to 18-21-2, 9-6 A-10.

The Musketeers jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first, scoring Eric Greenwell on an RBI single by Jay Johnson. Johnson stole second and third before advancing home on a throwing error to third by catcher Adam Tidball (Bethesda, Md.).

Richmond responded to the 2-0 lead, putting up five runs on five hits in its half of the third. After designated hitter A.J. Board (Raleigh, N.C.) drew a leadoff walk, third baseman Bobby LeNoir (Wilmington, Del.) beat out a bunt to the right side of the mound. Tidball then drew the second walk of the frame to load the bases. Junior centerfielder Bryan Pritz (Wilmette, Ill.) stroked a two-RBI single to left center, scoring Board and LeNoir to knot the game. Second baseman Ben Zeskind (Miami, Fla.) broke the tie with another one-bagger to send Tiball home. Pritz then crossed home on Fasano's RBI single into left field. Zeskind added the final run of the inning on a Vito Chiaravalloti sacrifice fly to take a 5-2 lead.

Xavier did not rest, adding a run in the fifth. Eric Armstrong belted a monster double to the left field fence to score Kevin McNight. The Spiders answered McNight's run with one of their own in the sixth. LeNoir led off with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a Tidball sacrifice bunt, stole third, and touched home on a Pritz sacrifice fly to maintain the lead at 6-3.

In the seventh frame, Xavier knotted the game again at 6-6. McKnight hit a leadoff single and advanced on an Armstrong single. Ryan Schreen reached base on a two-out error by David Reaver (Union Bridge, Md.), scoring McKnight. Johnson then delivered a two-RBI single to right field before being picked off to end the inning.

Xavier threatened to take the lead in the eighth when Mark Andres stroked the first Musketeer triple of the season. Nick Stavrakis laid down a bunt to try to score Andres, but Richmond's reliever Matt McLoughlin (San Diego, Calif.) caught it for the toss back to Tiball, tagging Andres out at home. The Musketeers threatened again in the tenth with a runner on second. Brett Smith stroked a single to left field with two outs, sending Steve Sakosits home. Leftfielder Michael Galligan (Woodbury, N.Y.) then fired the ball to Tidball for the tag.

The Spiders ended the game in the 11th frame with a Fasano one-out home run.

Richmond's McLoughlin earned the win after 4.0 innings of relief. The junior righty (6-2) struck out three and allowed only two hits. Senior Mike McGirr (Lexington, Mass.) started for the Spiders, throwing 6.2 innings. McGirr fanned seven while allowing only five hits and one earned run. Xavier's Kevin Crowley (3-3) took the loss after 4.1 innings of relief work.

Richmond returns to Pitt Field tomorrow, Monday, April 28 in a rescheduled game against Old Dominion at 3 p.m.